“Martha: A Picture Story” chronicles more than 50 years in the life and exploits of extraordinary New York City photographer, Martha Cooper as she follows her own muse, documenting the city and its residents with a unique, and often underrated expertise.
Pratt’s life was not without struggle and pain. She was disarmingly honest in describing the hard times, but was always able to find something positive or humorous to add to her narrative. As she herself recounts near the end of the film, “Well, it has been fascinating. Never a dull moment. It was all so much: it was all so wonderful”.
The film, shot in black and white, uses many local actors to achieve the ‘80’s look. Everyone is always listening to the radio and sometimes the movie audience sees actual “crank” letters superimposed with the action on the screen.
The plot centers around Alan’s single minded determination to find his son Michael, who walked out of the house one evening years ago and never returned.
Yonfan’s first animated film is entirely original and completely mesmerizing. Reality, invention, passion and politics intertwine seamlessly, making for an unforgettable journey. Hong Kong natives will love the fact that the characters look like, and are voiced-over by some of their favourite movie stars.
“We Are Not Princesses”, an NFB documentary dedicated “to all displaced persons”, offers an unflinching opportunity to see into the lives of a group of women from Syria.
Excellent cinematography and a superb cast add depth and interest to the various plot threads.
“Scheme Birds” is a beautifully crafted film. The intimacy with which Gemma allows her life to be shared is powerful; viewers feel what she feels and hope along with her that the next chapters of her life bring her the fulfillment she deserves.
Filmmaker Daniel Traub’s canny closeups of Von Rydingsvard at work grant unparalleled proximity to her creative process.
Oscar and Emmy-winning director Michael Moore, renowned for his hard-hitting and politically-fuelled documentaries (including Bowling for Columbine, Sicko, and Fahrenheit 9/11 – the latter still the top-grossing documentary of all time), has just confirmed his attendance at a Creator Talk during this year’s Vancouver International Film Festival (VIFF) to mark the 30th anniversary of his acclaimed documentary Roger & Me.